In administering irrigation fluids from flexible bag containers during certain medical procedures it is desirable to provide container support apparatus which is operable to also be capable of exerting a pressure force on the fluid container to discharge fluid therefrom at a rate other than that which is available as a consequence of hydrostatic pressure, since this pressure will vary depending upon the position of the bag relative to the point of injection of the fluid and the quantity of fluid remaining in the bag. In this regard apparatus has been developed which is operable to squeeze the fluid container to force the discharge of fluids therefrom.
However, heretofore apparatus for performing the function described above has been lacking certain desired improvements. In particular, prior art apparatus for supporting flexible fluid containers has not been adapted to handle containers of various sizes. The containers are supported on the apparatus by hanging the containers from a point near the top end of the container and the container discharge ports are then often pinched by the apparatus closure or do not extend below the bottom of the support structure for easy access. In other words, known apparatus has not been adapted to accommodate fluid containers of different lengths and overall sizes and fabricated by different manufacturers.
Another problem associated with prior art apparatus for supporting flexible fluid containers is the lack of ability to retain the fluid container in a suitable working position when the apparatus door or closure is open and to remain in the working position until the container is forcibly grasped to remove it from its support structure. Still further, prior art fluid actuated container discharge devices have not been adapted to quickly relieve pressure forces acting on the fluid container to reduce or cease discharge of fluid therefrom. Still further, there has been a desire to provide improved operation of flexible fluid container discharge or infusion devices and to control the operating mode of such devices. These improvements and certain other improvements in the art of apparatus for supporting and discharging flexible fluid containers for use in medical procedures, in particular, have been met by the present invention.